Over the course of 2015, the City of Philadelphia plans to announce a series of legislative initiatives, commitments, and investments designed to reduce litter in neighborhoods, parks, and waterways.

In Philadelphia, it is reported that the most heavily littered areas continue to be along commercial corridors and in neighborhoods with large numbers of rental properties.

Two bills drafted by the Nutter Administration in partnership with Councilwoman Reynolds Brown were introduced on March 12 in City Council to address the issue. The bills focus on litter and illegal dumping by making sure that landlords and establishments that sell food have appropriate waste and recycling bins for tenants and customers.

Under proposed ordinance 150198, any business that sells packaged or prepared foods for takeout would have to put both a trash and recycling bin within 10 feet of the front door.

City officials feel that ensuring Philadelphians have locations to deposit trash and recyclable materials will reduce litter and trash on the streets.

PFMA is planning to meet with Councilwoman Brown to discuss these proposals.

Information on the comprehensive effort will be released in the coming weeks. The Mayor′s Office of Sustainability will be providing regular updates via its Facebook and Twitter accounts (GreenworksPhila, @GreenworksPhila).